In the wake of China’s 12th five-year plan, we know China likes to plan in fives; the Spice Girls realized that success really only comes in being a five and, apparently, in our bid to become healthier, it’s five-a-day that will help us live longer.
In a similar vein, we too, believe the best things come in fives. When helping our clients develop their business in, with and from China, there are a series of essential utilities in order to help them launch, develop and grow in the market. Those essential utilities are quite often easy to list – starting in a new market requires:
1. Legal support
2. Accounting support
3. Human resources
4. Property & facilities
5. Need anything else…?
Well, yes, of course, once you’re a functioning business, your name’s above the door, who’s going to walk through it? These are questions we’re asking many Chinese companies setting up a business in the UK or Europe and those companies that are going out to China to set up. Now you’re established, who will be your clients? How will you be engaging them and how will you be creating demand for your products and services?
The answer is simple – there’s a fifth element. UpStage China’s manual to developing business successfully (we’ll write it one day…) would have another, all-important, chapter called ‘effective marketing and communication strategy’. To gain profile, recognition and those pretty important people that spend money – clients – you need an effective marketing and communication campaign that launches your business, develops your business and is relentlessly creative.
